“Then you have our permission to take her.”
“You can’t do that!” I protested taking another step forward and the Cleric fixed me with a stare I could feel through her hood.
“I can and I am. You are property, girl. Mine and my sisters. Unlike you, I will do what I must to ensure our survival. If you press me on this, I will ensure your survival and that of your sisters is stomped out.”
She turned to Joshua and I wanted to scream. I wanted to fight. But what would I do? I could strangle her to death if I wanted to guarantee we all died. I could try and run and would probably end up with the same result. Callie seemed to sense my rage because her hand gripped my wrist and she pulled me back a half a step.
“Take her. Send word if she gets difficult.”
Joshua nodded but didn’t bow before walking towards me.
“Callie, Iris, it’s nice to meet you. Nyx has mentioned you.” He said, nodding to both of them.
“Do not talk to them.” I said, teeth clenched. “Do you have any idea what you just did? What happens when we get back and Salem doesn’t want to see me. Then what? They die because he had his fill of the Fury?”
“We’ll talk about this later. I’ll wait at the door while you say your goodbyes.”
When he walked away, I turned to Callie and Iris, both of them brimming with questions, but the Cleric was in earshot and I didn’t trust her.
“I know you have questions. I’ll explain everything as soon as I get back. I don’t know what he told them but I will tell you the truth. I promise.”
“Whoa, Nyx, you are not leaving it there.” Iris said, and I waited for Callie to tell her to let me go but she didn’t. “Who is this guy and what is going on?”
I glanced at the Cleric again and huffed out a breath.
“The guy I told you about, the one guy. I left out the part about him being the King of the Underworld. Joshua,” I said, motioning in Joshua’s direction with my head, “is his right-hand man. They need my help. I’ll tell you the rest when I get back.”
“Will you come back?” Callie asked, and I could tell Iris had been thinking the same thing.
“I promise.” I said, hoping my word was enough.
Chapter 14
Irefused to speak to Joshua the entire drive to the gateway. But as soon as we crossed over, my anger took a back seat to the feeling that hit me as we stepped through. I could tell something was different. The Underworld felt off. Not wrong, just different. It had a haze of gloom about it that it never had before. I moved closer to Joshua, not feeling at ease in a place I’d thought of as mine as much as it was Salem’s.
I knew I wasn’t imagining it when Fitz moved up my arm and took up a defensive stance around my bicep like a living arm band. If he’d been a diamond back, his tail would be rattling.
The manor felt different too as we walked through the doors. Eerily silent and almost cold.
Charon walked out of one of the doors, carrying a tray.
One he dropped as soon as he saw me.
“Nyx.” My name escaped his lips with a reverence I’d never have expected. He stepped over the broken teacup, pot and smear of whatever food he’d been carrying, and took long strides in order to envelop me into a hug. “I wasn’t sure we’d ever see you again.”
“It’s good to see you.” I said, returning his hug.
“Do Tasha and Jane know?”
Joshua must have shaken his head because suddenly I was being pulled up the stairs and towards Jane’s room.
Charon whisked us in, shutting the door behind him just before Jane caught sight of me and screamed, “Nyx!”
Tasha, who’d been sitting on the couch with Jane, took me in like she couldn’t believe what she was seeing while Jane flung her little body at me.
“He changed his mind! I knew he would!” Jane squealed, hugging my legs so tightly my knees pushed together uncomfortably.
“He didn’t,” Joshua said, his voice coming from behind me. “I went and got her.”
Tasha stood mechanically and then she too wrapped me into a hug.
When she pulled back, I saw tears streaming down her face, “We’ve missed you so much, Nyx.”
“I missed you too.” I said, and then looked around as part of me seemed to click back into place. “I missed you all.”
Tasha worked to compose herself, wiping her cheeks and sniffling. “Maybe Salem will stop acting like such a bear now that you’re back.”
Her words distracted me from the tears welling in my own eyes at their warm welcomes and I cleared the lump from my throat and asked, “Where is he?”
“His study,” Charon answered, “But miss, he’s not the man he was before you left. He’s different.”
“Maybe, but he has a lot to answer for.”
I left Fitz with Jane, who was almost as happy to keep him as he was to be left with her. If anyone thought it odd she had a snake pressing the side of his face into her cheek, they didn’t comment.
Opening the door to Salem’s study, I was surprised to see it was a mess. He usually kept everything neat and tidy, but there were books lying open on the floor, papers scattered across every surface and trays were dirty dishes here and there.
He didn’t even look up when I walked in.
“Just leave the tray over there.” He snapped, and I realized the food Charon was now cleaning off the floor had been meant for him.
“Salem.” I said, shutting the door behind me.
His eyes glanced up at me and a look of disgust marred his handsome face, “What the hell are you doing here?”
It was not the response I’d been expecting. Maybe a little anger, some surprise and doubt, but not disgust.
“Does it matter?” I shot back, not wanting to out Joshua. “I’m here and you’re going to have to deal with it.”
He shot up out of his chair and got right in my face.
“How dare you speak to me that way.”
“How dare you! How dare you leave me there! You knew this was my home. You knew what it would do to me and you did it anyway!” I snapped, and then just because I wanted something else to throw at him I added, “And since when do you care how I speak to you as long as it’s the truth?”
His jaw hardened, his eyes flashed with fury and then he closed his eyes and he seemed to swallow his anger back down.
With a cool, calmness, he opened his eyes and addressed me without a hint of anger. “You’re right. I’m sorry. How are you, Onyx?”
Onyx? He had never called me by my full name. Like, ever.
“What’s wrong with you?”
I couldn’t help the question. This was not the Salem that had kissed me like he needed me, talked to me like I was a trusted confidant or made me feel like I mattered. This was a Salem I hadn’t met before and this Salem left a lot to be desired.
Because I was studying him, I saw there was a brief flash of anger again, mixed with a tinge of confusion, but mostly I saw exhaustion.
“Nothing.” He lied, “I’m just busy.”
“Salem, you don’t lie to me because I don’t lie to you. What’s going on?”
He pulled back from me, physically recoiled and stalked back towards his desk but stopped mid-stride and spun back around.
“I share things with you?”
The question was odd, but I nodded. He looked half out of his mind and if reassuring him would get him to talk to me, I’d play the game.
“Can I ask you to keep what I share to yourself?”
Another nod.
“Something is wrong and I can’t tell the others.”
“I’m pretty sure they’ve already guessed at it with the way you’ve been acting.” I said, meeting his gaze.
“I’m sure, but Onyx, I can’t involve them, not this time.”
My full name again.
Could the King of the Underworld lose his mind? Because I was pretty sure Salem had. Typically, he’d ask for help. A collection of knowledge all working together, diff
erent ideas and solutions. He’d never, to my knowledge, kept his people out of anything.
“Salem, what’s going on?”
His hand twitched, he flexed it once and then he reached forward and took my hand in his, stiffening as he did it. It was almost like he didn’t want the contact.
He hesitated briefly before linking our fingers and meeting my gaze.
“Something in the manor is blocking me. I don’t know where it is, what it is or who did it. Someone is planning something and they want me weak enough to accomplish it.”
“Salem, Tasha could probably—”
“No, Nyx.” He interrupted, his hand tightening on mine. “They can’t know. Promise me you won’t tell them anything. Promise me, and I’ll tell you what I know right now.”
Sighing, I nodded and against my better judgement, I promised not to tell anyone anything.
Salem told me that somehow, half his power seemed to be locked away. A talisman or a cursed object was being used as a way to harness it. He told me it had happened before he was able to pick me up and he even told me he was sorry.
But as he spoke, the more and more I thought we should tell the others.
Still, I listened without comment, until he tried to explain away why he’d left me there.
“It wasn’t safe.”
“Stop Salem. Don’t you dare treat me like a damsel now. Not after all this time.”
Salem, who had let go of my hand and started pacing when he’d begun the story, turned back to where I was leaning against the desk.
“I’m not. If someone is trying to get to me, what’s the best way to do it?”
“Your friends.”
He gave a single nod, “My loved ones. I knew you were safe in your world and I was going to come for you as soon as this was resolved.”
I swallowed, and did what I always did. I told Salem the truth.
“I hate that you’re making sense about this. I really want to stay mad at you.”
“Why?”
“Because you hurt me. I thought…” Come on Nyx, just say it. “I thought you moved on.”
Salem turned back to me, “I didn’t.”
A knock interrupted us and Charon walked in with a new tray and set it down.
“Is there anything else, sir?”
“No.” Salem clipped.
Charon nodded and left.
No thank you? Had he really changed so much in a year.
Ignoring it, I shook my head and pulled my hand back and tucked it into the crook of my elbow, crossing my arms.
“I could start going through the books in the library. I know my way enough that I could be discreet.”
“You’re willing to help?”
“Yes.”
His demeanor changed in an instant. He walked over to the tray Charon had brought, his back to me.
“If you find anything, come directly to me.”
I was being dismissed, it was in his tone.
I walked past him as he poured tea into a cup and picked it up, his eyes on the paperwork on the desk.
I stopped at the door and turned to look back at him. “Salem?”
“Yes?”
“I did miss you.”
“Missed you too, Nyx.” He said, distractedly, his mind back on the work at hand.
I returned to Jane’s room in a bit of a daze, confused on where I stood and what had changed him.
I waited until I shut the door before I said, “That was weird. It was Salem but…”
“Not Salem.” Tasha supplied, nodding with my assessment.
“What did he say about you being back?” Joshua asked.
“Why? Worried I’d outed you because of what you did?”
He glanced away from me as Tasha said, “What he did? What are you talking about?”
I narrowed my eyes. “You didn’t tell them? Oh my souls. Perfect flashback of the first time you snatched me from my world.”
“Tell us what?” Tasha pushed.
“I asked Nyx for help and she refused so…” Joshua trailed off.
“So, he went to the Oracles and outed me to them and got Callie and Iris put on house arrest until I make it back.”
“Oh, Joshua.” Charon said. “You didn’t.”
“I didn’t see another option, okay? You’ve talked to him now, you’ve seen it first-hand.”
I was still pissed, but yes, I had seen it.
“I’ll concede, but only partially. There is something wrong but what you did was wrong too and I’m telling you right now, if anything happens to Callie and Iris because of what you did with the Oracles, I am holding you responsible.”
“I’ll make sure nothing happens, Nyx.” He said, and everyone fell quiet until he pushed for more information. “So, what happened?”
“Not much. He called me Onyx a few times, seemed distracted.” I started, and I could feel the tension begin to ease from the room and forced myself to focus on the here and now. “It was like he couldn’t be bothered with a full explanation on anything.”
“He’s been this way the entire time. I told you something was wrong.” Joshua tucked his hands into the pockets of her jeans and leaned against the post of Jane’s bed, eyes on his shoes.
“We’re all hoping your return is going to change him back.” Charon said.
I knew I couldn’t go into detail, but I felt like I owed them something. I didn’t agree with Salem, but until I knew more, I’d play it his way. “Maybe I can get him to tell me what sparked this, but it’s going to take time.”
Charon gave me a small bow, “Then we will continue on as we have been and hope your presence relieves some of the stress and gets him to open up.”
He patted my shoulder as he passed me, slipping out the door.
Jane bounced off the bed as the door shut, “Nyx, now that you’re done, can we go into town today. I need more books.”
I looked to Tasha and Joshua who shrugged.
“Sure. When would you like to go?”
“Now.”
I should have known.
Tasha grinned, “Carriage or car?”
“Carriage.” Jane and I said at the same time which caused her to burst into giggles.
✽✽✽
Whatever had been going on with Salem, it had done little to tamp down on Jane’s spirits. As soon as she got into the book store, she’d started pulling books from the shelves and in minutes managed to surround herself on the floor.
Tasha and I watched as she started skimming each of them.
We left her to her books while the two of us made small talk and when she’d gone a few minutes without saying anything, Tasha lowered her voice and said, “Were you okay? Stuck there like you were?”
I shrugged, “It was fine.”
“Not your life. I’m sure it went on. I’m talking about you, Nyx. Being dropped off. Cut off, like you were. With the feelings you have for each other…” She trailed off, shaking her head and then she sighed. “It couldn’t have been easy.”
I tried to smile, but it came and went as the feelings of abandonment resurfaced.
“For the first couple of months, I wondered if something had gone wrong with the time spell.” I explained, tears beginning to clog my throat as I remembered. “Then I thought something had happened, but I still hoped he’d show. Then I thought he’d found someone else. If you’d all found someone that took my place. Someone from here. I wish I could say I was unselfish about it all and was happy for you, but the thought of it hurt more than being left alone.”
Tears had welled in Tasha’s eyes and she moved, pulling me into a tight hug.
“Nyx, there is no other you. Your arrival, as unfortunate as the circumstances were when he brought you here, it was a breath of fresh air. You touched every one of us in a way we didn’t know we were missing. It happened so fast I don’t think any of us realized it had until Salem took you back. We all noticed a void, we all realized it was your absence. I don’t know who was more excited for him t
o go get you out of all of us. It was pretty even.”
“You all became my family, Tasha, and Salem…I love him. It’s stupid, but I do.”
She pulled away, her eyes meeting mine as she sported a blinding smile.
“I know.” She said, tucking a stray strand of my hair behind my ear. “You look at him like he is where your world starts and stops.”
“Like you look at Joshua.” I pointed out, a smile creeping onto my own face.
Her cheeks pinked and she dropped her gaze. “Yeah, well… we’re, um, talking?”
“Oh, please. You’re doing way more than talking. You two have been dancing around each other since I met you”
“Yeah, well we both decided we need to figure out Salem’s problems before we go any further and our plan only went as far as bringing you back.”
“He’s distant. Worried about something and not very receptive to my involvement.”
“That’s because this version of our King is a much better one.” A voice said from behind us and I knew that sickly sweet tone anywhere. I turned, knowing who I’d see even before I scanned past all the pink tulle.
“Briella.” I said, my tone clipped as I met her cold gaze. “Still bitter you were thrown out of the manor?”
“Happier now that I hear Salem tired of you, and so quickly too. I wonder how long it’ll take him to come crawling back to me.”
“Well, he’s been like this for a year and he still hasn’t run back to you,” Tasha said, “So I’d say your chances are slim.”
“How dare you. My family have been court attendant’s for generations! I am—”
“Obsolete.”
Jane’s voice surprised me and the three of us turned to see Jane standing there. Three books clutched to her chest, the rest back on their shelves.
“Excuse me?” Briella said, her eyes full of the shock that I was feeling.
Jane had been so enamored, I’d thought, but I’d been wrong.
“Salem loves Nyx.” Jane carried on, “As soon as that happened, it’s what you became. Obsolete.” Then, she turned to me and grinned, “I’m ready to go now. I’ve got the books I wanted.”
We ignored Briella’s response as we walked out the door, the three of us hiding behind polite smiles.
Fury Page 19